A year like never before
by QuieroLaAventura
Summary: The story takes place in the year 1978 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It will be about a group of teenagers. There are some love stories... There are some problems and some bad suprises waiting for them... [Translation of my original German story]
1. Authors note!

Authors note

Here are some short important information. I am not a native speaker, which should be obvious because of my bad grammar and spelling qualities. The original story is in my mother language German. I really try my best with this translation. And when you guys help me, I am sure it can be quite good.

Please feel welcomed when telling me where I need to change something so it sounds good. Also tell me everything else where you have the feeling I am writing something strange which doesn't seem to fit in the rest of the story.

Now please enjoy the story! Soon there will be an update.

QuieroLaAventura (25th of September 2019)


	2. Prolouge

**Prologue**

25.08.1977

At the evening of the 25th of august in the year 1977 somewhere in England while there where summer holidays James Potter and his friend Remus Lupin where sitting next to a lake at the grounds of Potter Manor and talking. "After the end of the next year we would never see Hogwarts again you know this don't you", James shook his head in a sad way before he continue to speak "there are so many people we will never see again" he silenced for a short moment then he said "for example my Quidditch team". Except for Sirius who indeed is my best friend and also life in this house. He looks at the horizon and saw a bird flying over the surface of the lake just a few meter above.

Remus who where watching his friend the hole time he was talking just added one word at the end of his speech upon which James raised his head irritated "what is about Lily". Remus smiled "I just put another name at the list of persons you will probably never see again after the end of the following year" while Remus smiled at first he watched his friend know really serious, he would never miss his reaction.

James have to admit that his friend where right, he would probably never see her again and she would be the person he will miss at most. He remembers the last moment they saw each other at the station nine and three quarters, she was yelling at him that she would never go on a date with him. She said she would more probable go on a date with Serverus Snape then with him, and every one knew that they weren't friends any longer. She disliked him nearly as much as she disliked James.

Servers Snape called her a mudblood at this station at the end of the last year and he warned him never call her in his presence ever again as he have called her if he would not like to have his fist in his face. But Lily just said that she could defend herself well enough and don't need his protection.

The imagination of never see Lily again hit James so hardly he could not breath for a short moment, and if the next year will be as the last six have been, she would not change her mind about him and still not give him a Chance. He turned himself towards Remus and said "you have to help me".

Remus who expected something like this nodded at once and told James "I for my part think you are right, you need help." He watched a robin flying up and down in the distance. "There are just 10 month left, then it's to late" James said desperately. It wasn't really a scream but a heavy sigh. Remus could knew what his friend were trying to say, he for himself had thought about the problem of his friend and he just saw one possibility and this would became difficult for all of them. He take a look at James and it was pretty obvious that he would do everything to get his chance from her and it was in this moment when Remus decided to help his friend in every possible way. Neither he nor Sirius nor Peter had ever taken his feelings to Lily seriously. His requests for a date and her refusals were for the howl school since the fifths year quite a show. He had tried so many different flirts and non of them ever had just the slightest success. That James feelings could have been real and strong no one ever had thought, he was to well known for his many girlfriends and how often they change. He flirted with so many girls in his school carrier that he hardly can tell the number. All had thought Lily was just another girl at his list, but Remus know now nearly since the summer started how wrong he was and that the feelings of his friend were real and strong. Therefore he, Sirius and Peter would to everything to help him. James who had stood up in the meantime and now walks desperately up and down, till he lean himself against a nearby tree and asks Remus what he already had asks without words "Remus do you help me to convince Lily of my good character? You two are friends are you not? You should know why she never give me a chance, do you?" Yes Remus was a friend of Lily and this since the third year, he was the only marauder lily didn't think ill of. He even talked sometimes with her about his friend, but without any success. She thought his friend were an arrogant idiot who never dose anything to be as good as he was. She hates that he was able to some things without long training and even was very self-confident about this. In some classes he dose his homework just a few time a year and was even proud about this. She find it was disgusting that James charm and course younger students just because he was stronger and she also find the pranks of the marauders (this pranks were devised by James or Sirius) childish and stupid. Briefly the probability that she fall in love with him till the end of this year would be as great as the chance that anyone develop a cure for the bite of a werewolf before the next full moon, and the next full moon were about this night.

Remus smiled upon his friend, because he wouldn't like to rob him of his last hope, perhaps his plan will work and give her a better opinion about his best friend. "I think I have a very good idea how she think about you and I have a plan how we could perhaps change her mind. Sirius way to treat a girl which was even yours for a long time isn't the right way for Lily Evans." James sighed and added "your right the way Sirius treat a girl is not the right way for such a reasonable girl as Lily Evans." Both thought about the way Sirius fall in love with a girl favoured her and even had mostly very fast success because he could be as charming as he was good locking, but then he always sense he was not as much in love as he thought. Probable more then a quarter of all the girls from Hogwarts once had some unhappy hours because of him another quarter suffered because of James. After some minutes passed James returned to the presence and asks Remus "What shall I do?" Remus take a deep breath and began "At first you should stop doing any pranks, you should use your knowledge to help other students. I think you can give some extra lessons in Transfiguration and Defence against the dark arts. You should also do your homework." His friend groaned but he smiled and asks him "Do you want to impress her or not?" James knew should their be just the slightest chance that she liked him more he would have done everything. Therefore he answered straight away "Yes, of course I want to impress her." Remus smiled happily and continues "Then you have to be humble and in no case you should course or charm anyone because this is the most disgusting thing she find you do. And to make all this easier for you and because it's also a good thing for us, we all will change together, we will grow together". James looked irritated at Remus and asked himself if Remus already told the other ones about his plan. What would Sirius say if he should be humble and reasonable, he had to laugh about this imagination. Then he asks Remus "Do Sirius and Peter know about your plan?" Remus nodded and said "Sirius and Peter declared their agreement." He thought about the troubles which were necessary to make Sirius agree to his plan but the possibility to see James entirely happy finally did the job. And Sirius agreed even to give some extra lessons with James and the other marauders to impress Lily. Remus suspected Sirius of thinking that all of this was a very good joke but that he went with James was the most important thing. "Another thing, you have to stop asking her for a date. Firstly speak about a date when you are sure she would accept your invitation. The next time you ask her she will probable jump into your arms and kiss you passionately", the last thing even Remus could possibly not imagine but it was better to be over optimistic then over pessimistic. James had to take a deep breath so he didn't burst out into laughter because of the imagination of been kissed by Lily passionately but Remus looked serious and said "I'm optimistic and this you should be as well." James think about this a while then he said "I'm full convinced that we would declare our lover for each other after a long walk through the snow and we shall be together from this day on." This was to much for Remus, now he laughed but he stops at once when he saw the serious expression in the face of his friend. And once more he was impressed about the decisiveness of his friend. If James once decided to do something there were no troubles and no imponderability he couldn't handle with. He himself once to profited by his decisiveness. When they were in their fifth class James, Sirius and Peter became secretly animaguses. But without James he imagine it could end in a disaster. This techniques were far away of anything which was taught at Hogwarts and even older wizards and witches need a long training to became an animagus. And all this he and his friends have done to be with him in full moon nights. But before he could told his friend that all would end good, a bird abstract him. To be honest it wasn't a normal bird, no this one was the owl from his friend. It was a small grey owl and a very young one too. "Mooney that might be our school lists. If you gave me the right advice the next week will be very useful for us to learn some of the things we will learn at school before the summer had ended. Each of us take one or two topics, work those through and at the end of the day we share our knowledge, this will give us the perfect start in our last year at Hogwarts." He thinks a moment and ignored the face of Remus which was full of surprise then he continues "That would help us to gave extra lessons and we should also knew the most important things about the subjects we deselected." Remus stared to his friend and became a little pale by reason of the imagination of learning the last week of his holidays. He said dubiously "These are enormous changes! You mean it serious, do you?" James had to laugh but answered convinced "Of course we can do it, we are still marauders!" Remus nodded and smiled upon the imagination of Sirius face when he learn how he should spend the last week of the summer holidays. James said happily "Come on Remus let's hurry so we get some dinner before we have to start with learning." Slowly the both boys turned to the great house near the lake and when they were almost at the backdoor they heard the voice of James mother "come in, dinner is already ready." James and Remus entered through a door of glass the house of the Potters.


	3. Chapter One: Lily

**Chapter 1: Lily**

In another part of the country and six days after the conversation between James and Remus a sixteen years old girl entered her room to get some sleep. It was Lily Evans and she was very excited for she would return to Hogwarts the next day. After six long weeks of holidays she would finally see again her friends.

She would sleep again with her friends in one dormitory – but she forgot now that she was headgirl she would sleep with her male college in a flat. She hoped really much it would be a nice guy. Maybe Remus, although he was part of the marauders he was a good person. But the best thing would be to life again in the old castle and see all the well known chambers and halls, the secret corridors and the lands around Hogwarts. All these things had became a part of her after she had lived there six years.

After she had sit down on her bed she saw an unopened letter laying on her pillow. It must have fallen down from the little shelf above her bed. On the Envelope she could read her name, written in soft clean way. She could not remember seeing this letter before. She took the parchment and opened it. But she had not yet unfolded the letter completely, when she decided she was too tired in the moment for reading. So she put the letter in her truck – at the edge, so it could not crumple – and pulled the blanked up.

_**Lily's dream**_

In her dram she was in the entrance hall of Hogwarts and she was waiting upon something. She had no idea for what, but it had to be something very important. She had never felt something like that and she feared it would not come. She feared she might lose it, and this felt terrible. Slowly she lost her calmness, why he dose not turn up? Now she knew that it had to be a boy she was waiting for, but she didn't had a boyfriend. She asks herself who this might be. Maybe this whole dream was more than it seemed to be. She heard that in some dreams magical people where able to foresee their future. Suddenly she was afraid to see into her future and see the boy who once gain her affections. What if she currently yet hated this boy? To know now who he was, might influence her future in a negative way.

She tried to open her eyes but it was impossible. Then she saw a person coming down the marble staircases. She would really appreciate to wake up but she could not. The whole scene disappeared and she was now in the three broomsticks inn. In front of her someone was sitting, she tried to close her eyes but there was no way too hide the view, she saw a not clear visible person. This Person had a slender body. She hasn't lied when she was thinking she would likely not too know the identity of the boy. But in fact she would have been very happy if she could at least see so much to exclude a certain boy.

For this special boy she would not like to have such emotions as she obviously felt for the boy in front of her. She would be very happy to exclude this certain boy with messy black hair but so far as she was able to recognise him, it might be exactly this one boy. He, who charmed and coursed other students. He, who was so arrogant as no one she ever had the misfortune to know. He, who always touched his own hair in way like it would be the best thing anyone could wish to do. He, who was as good as she, although she learned very much and he nearly never did his homework. And most importantly he, who always asked her out, and never accepted a 'No!' as an answer.

He who thought to be in love with her. She would be really happy to exclude him. She didn't want that the future might bring them closer to one another. Now both, she and the unreal not clear visible boy came closer to each other. She heard herself saying something she could not understand and the unreal boy also said something which made her smile. A single tear started to roll down her cheek. The boy gently wiped it away which made her body got warmer. The scene disappeared again and now both of them were standing in front of the Shrieking Shack kissing one another passionately. As longer as she saw herself and the unknown, her real body get warmer. Who ever this boy was, now it seemed to her obviously, that this might be her futures true love. What if fate planed her to fall in love with James Potter? Well she didn't believe in things like fate, but either way everything was of course possible.

_**Lily's dream End**_

In the next morning she couldn't remember what she had dreamed. Just a warm feeling like she had not felt before was still in her chest and she didn't had rested so well for a long time. She stood up and took on her clothes to get ready. She left then her room with her truck and put it next to the entrance door then she went in to the dining room to get some breakfast with her family. The moment she sat down her father was telling something about his work. After a while her mother said to her: "I wish you a lot of fun and success! I think Lea will arrive soon to drive with you to King's Cross". Lily nodded. Unlike the years before this year her parents wouldn't accompany her. Now her father gave her a letter with the words "This came this morning with an owl it's from James", still a little bit tiered she asked "Which James?" This was really a most stupid question, which James would write her a letter? Of course the only James she knew, James Potter. Her father who didn't knew that his daughter already were fully aware about the stupidity of her own question, answered. "You wand to know of which James a was talking? I wand to tell you this: I was talking of James Potter, you know the boy running after you since the third year and begged you to go out with him". He sounded really amused as if there would be anything funny with this. Not very interested she took the letter and put it in the pocket of her jacket. Her father continued to speak "I think you should give him a chance this year..." he stopped when he saw the look of her daughters face.

What was this? Did her father tried to persuade her to give James Potter a chance, was it not enough that her own friends tried this. Her friends even had got her successfully to the point, that she had agreed to forget her prejudices she had accumulated until the end of the third year, so she would have been able to judge him with a clear view. And what had been the result? At the end of the fourth year he had not changed a bit. And now she was asked to do the same again. Why should this be in any way useful? Also, she didn't like him, so why should she do it?

With a solid look of her eyes she answered her father "I don't see why he should deserve another chance" He, who still had an amused shine in his eyes replied "Your are right he already had his chance but don't you think he deserve maybe another one? Consider that he probably know very well, that he will see you this year for the last time. Maybe he will change his behaviour to impress you. Just see what might happen, okay?"

She doubt the words of her father but he mentioned one thing that was true. After this last year she would never have to see James Potter again. Therefore she could probably give him a tiny chance. With this decision made she answered "I think I can try to watch him without any prejudices." She didn't had much hope that she wouldn't regret her decision but she would do it and try to understand him better before she judge the next time upon him. She took the letter out of her pocket and opened it and started to read.

_Hello Lily Evans!_

_First September 1977_

_I know you will not be happy to hear this, but I am the headboy. For me it is obvious that you have to be my partner, because you were, not like me, also a perfect and never broke any school rules. I just write this to you, so you don't feel too down when you see me in the compartment for the headstuff. When you decide, that you can not work with me, I will resign right after the festival when we arrive in Hogwarts._

_But should you accept to work with me, I would be very happy._

_With kindly regards _

_James Potter_

Lily read the letter more then just one time before she believed what she saw. There weren't many lines, but in those he wrote, there was no sign of any arrogance and nowhere he asked her for a date. She looked up and saw her mothers smiling as if she knew what he had written. Well this letter didn't proved his bad qualities but also not his good ones.

She put the letter back into her pocket so she wouldn't lose it. She would take care of all the things she might get from him in this year to be able to judge about him.

This letter didn't prove that James had changed and also not proved the opposite. The fact he would live with her in one flat guaranteed she would spend a lot of time with him. So she would be able to prove whether or whether not her father was right. She was very much convinced to work together with him because she didn't doubted that Dumbledore would have his reasons to appoint James Potter to be the headboy of Hogwarts.

A few moments later she heard the ringing of the doorbell. She stood up and run for the door. It was her friend Lea. Lily needed to master her urge to give her a hug immediately "Lea I'm so glad to see you again. Would you like to enter or shall we leave at once?" Lea was a beautiful witch with bright wavy hair. She wore it down to her shoulders and it was black. She was also petite and shy but she had an excellent humour. Concerning the last thing, some would even say she had too much humour because she even laughed about things which weren't funny for the common mind. But she never meant it evil. Now she gave her a huge and waited for an answer. "I think we should leave right now so we can visit Florean Fortescue's and eat an ice cream" Lily nodded and just said "I agree, just wait here I tell my parents."

**\- ****Hier bin ich beim korrigieren! -**

Lily went back to her parents and told them she would leave now with her friend. Her parents followed her into the hallway. At the door Lily gave her mother a hug while her father gave Lea his hand and said to her "Watch out, both of you and..." Lily stooped him talking by give him a hug. She whispered "Don't dare mentioning James". Aloud she said "Goodbye and remember to me as often as possible. I didn't bought you an owl for nothing." Lily's mother called after them "Have a wonderful time and good luck with James!" Lily groaned because Lea now had to think, she would have something with him. Indeed Lea looked very irritated and that Lily blushed just made Lea even more confused. She asked Lily why she was so embarrassed? Lily thought about this question. It was of course because her mother did such a stupid thing. She would have told Lea anyway of James letter, but actuelly it might have been a little later.

While they were going towards the station to take the train to London Lea asked Lily what her mother meant about the last thing she was saying to them. Lily knew she was trying to sound not really interested but she knew her to well. This was another Characteristic of her friend, she was not a good actor. Lea was in fact very curies. Therefore Lily began immediately to talk "Lea you will not believe it but James Potter is the headboy!" She smiled shortly when she saw Leas wide opened mouth, then she continued "furthermore my parents or especially my father persuaded me to give James another chance. You remember? The same thing like in the fourth year." After Lily ended Leas surprised face turned into a smiling one. Lily grinned herself a little bit now, even when she didn't said anything about whether she liked her decision or not. Lea seemed perfectly happy with the most improbable case that anything else then last time might happen.

Lily stopped walking, she suddenly had to imagine, how Kitty her other best friend would react, when she would got to know that James was the new headboy. She told Lea what she was thinking about, this brought Lea to burst out into laughing. A short moment after this Lea asked one thing to be sure she didn't misunderstood Lily. "Just for the protocol: You want to give him a second chance although he disappointed you so much after the fourth year?" Lily fall into silence and the smile slowly disappeared from her face. Now she had to remember how much she had hoped he would maybe change his behaviour. She hated it when someone attacked or offend other people just because they were weaker. Why must James be such a reckless naughty boy? She actually also hated it to disappoint other people, also James. But why couldn't he just stop asking her out? He must have noticed, that she didn't like him. The whole situation was very complicated.

When she was honest she wished him all the luck he need, when he should really intend to give her a better opinion about his character. She nodded now and answered so Leas question.

Lea looked upon her friend with a smile and said "I'm really curious if he can change his behaviour." A moment later she wanted to know "Do he know that you gave him another chance?" Lily had to smile as well but replied calmly and serious "No and I prohibit you telling him. At least when you don't want me to change my mind." Lily sighed and said just a few moments later "Please understand me! If he would know that I gave him a chance to show his good sides he probably would be politely and modest to me and to everyone else he would be the same as all the years before. I do not wish this, he shall be gentle and kind to everyone including me." She paused for a moment and said then "He should change himself insofar as to be truthful and trustful, and insofar as..." she become more and more quietly, so in the end she was only understood by herself. Her friend gave her a watchful look and asked "insofar as what?" Lily quickly thought about what she was saying and couldn't hide her excitement very good but finally she said "I were just about to say: He should change himself insofar as not doing any pranks to other people". Lily herself was surprised most she had been able to come up with something like this so fast.

By now they were taking the staircases up to the platform. Hopefully the train was not yet completely full.

Lily had to think about her upcoming last year at Hogwarts. Step for step it came closer, there were so many new things she would learn. She already knew that she would miss many things after leaving Hogwarts in nearly 10 month. For example she would miss the long walks through the green lands in summer as well the long hours sitting in the library just reading. She would miss to live together with her friends at one place. She would miss the potion lessons well she would probably miss the most lessons except perhaps history of magic. But at most she would miss the feeling of belonging somewhere. After school she would firstly live again with her family, and this was not a nice feeling. Well her mother and her father were not a problem but her younger sister Petunia hates her since she became a witch. She thought magic were abnormal and calls her always a freak. She had become the became why she began to dislike the holidays.

Lea walked at Lilys side and thought about everything she just heard. Now they were on the platform and walked towards their train. She watched her friend and realised she looked really thoughtful like she was thinking about something really important.

Lily thought about the last time she were persuaded to gave him a chance she really thought she did it just because Lea and Kitty pushed her to do so. At that time James had finally proven to be the arrogant narcissistic toreg she always known he was. And since that he haven't change much. Probably he even got worse. And know she had to work with him together.

Since a few minutes the two girls were now sitting together in their compartment in the train to London. Their luggage was on the floor between them. Both were very happy, that they had found a compartment just for them, so the other passages were not annoyed by the noises of the animals. Lea's owl howled and every time she dose so Lily's cat tried to reach the owl with her paws through the bars of her cage. Lily thumbs with her finger against the window constantly and elegised "If the train will not start soon we won't be able to get our ice cream, it's late by now". Lea took a look at the great clock at the platform and said calmly to Lily "We just lost four minutes till now I think we will soon be in Diagon Alley."

But the luck were not at their side, just a few minutes after Lea said that they would be soon in Diagon Alley a voice came from a loudspeaker pronounced "To all passages to London we regret to to say that we have a delay of sixty minutes because we have to wait untill a freight train has been bypassed. Poorly you have to wait or you resign to take the train to Lonton in this case we wish you good day. In the case you want your money back please go to the service feature". The voice repeated the same thing another time and then there were silence in the train. But this silence didn't hold long because not half a minute later the first angry passages left the train. Lily looked to Lea and said "I don't think we can reach London now soon enough to visit Florean Fortescue's". Lea looked sadly out of the window and answered "No, probably we would London reach exactly soon enough to run for the Hogwartsexpress, we will have then only ten minutes if there are non further delays".

They used the time which were given to them for making plans for their last year at Hogwarts.


End file.
